ISSN 2756-3669
International Journal of Bacteriology Research ISSN 2932-7521 Vol. 3 (2) pp. 107-115, February, 2015. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Purging and characterization of tryptophan and indole-3-acidic corrosive delivered by Serratia marcescens strain MCB connected with Oscheius sp. MCB (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) acquired from South African soil
Jacob Tutu Dave
School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Email: [email protected]
Accepted 21 September, 2014
Abstract
Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) of the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis are lethal to insect pests that attack plants. These EPNs are associated symbiotically with the two enterobacteria Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus sp., respectively. The bacteria synthesize a range of insecticidal and antimicrobial metabolites which may be useful as agricultural pest control and medical disease control. Recently, EPNs characterization and explanation have been expanded to include genera, Oscheius. We isolated, characterized and identified a symbiotic bacterium and the metabolites it produces. The symbiotic bacterium was isolated from a South African nematode, Oscheius sp. MCB (GenBank accession number: KF684370). The symbiotic bacterium was identified to be a Serratia marcescens strain MCB (GenBank accession number: KF793930). Two metabolites it produces are indole-3-acetic acid and tryptophan, with tryptophan as an aromatic amino acid assumed to be a precursor for indole-3-acetic acid production. From this study it is evident that S. marcescens strain MCB isolated from Oscheius sp. MCB shares similar attributes with Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus sp., thus its host can be accepted as an EPN.
Key words: Entomopathogenic nematodes, Serratia, Oscheius, Xenorhabdus, Photorhabdus.